Combined hoe and weeder.



'Patented Nov. 20,1900.

a. A. MDRRELL. COMBINED HOE AND WEEDER.

(Application filed Mar. Q2, 1909.

(No Model.)

5 INVENTOR W/TNESSES r GLENN ALFRED MORRELL, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED HOE AND WEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,284, dated November20, 1900.

Application filed March 22, 1900. Serial No. 9,762. (No model.)

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN ALFRED MOR- RELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Combined Hoe and Weeder,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to agricultural implement-s; and its object is toprovide a new and improved combination hoe and weeder which is simpleand durable in construction, very effective when in use, and moreespecially designed to be pushed along the ground to cut off Weeds orother growth and to rapidly gather and retain the out growth and allowthe picked-up dirt to drop out, so that the implement can be handledwith great easeand without fatiguing the operator, at the same timecollecting the cut weeds for convenient destruction.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothviews.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement, and Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional elevation of the same.

The improved agricultural implement is provided with a scoop A, having aback A and sides A tapering to a pointat the front end, and acutter-blade B connects the front ends of the sides with each other, asis plainly shown in the drawings, the said blade being preferably madeof steel, with a cutting edge at the front to readily cut the weeds orother growth. The cutter-blade B is securely held in position on thesides A by straps G, extending from the top and bottom of thecutterblade to the top and bottom edges of the sides,

' and rivets, nails,or other fastening means connects the said straps tothe blade and the sides.

The bottom of the scoop is formed of longitudinally-extending wires D,spaced suitable distances apart, so as to render the bottom perforate,to allow the dirt to readily drop out through the bottom, but to retainthe out growth in the scoop when the device is used, as hereinafter morefully described. The wires D are preferably in U form, the severalstrands extending parallel with each other from the blade B toscrew-eyes E, held on the back A of the scoop, so that the strands canbe tightened from time to time to prevent any slack in the wires. Thefront or middle portion of a wire extends through apertures in the rearpart of the cutter-blade, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 1, and by thisar rangement a very simple perforate bottom is provided, which offers noobstruction to the incoming weeds and dirt when the implement is used.

In order to conveniently manipulate the device, a handle F is provided,extending near its front end through an eye G, secured to the uppermiddle portion of the back A, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 1, and theforward end of the said handle is provided with a ferrule F, engaged bya U-shaped brace H, secured to the top edges of the sides A The latterare provided with runners I, extending a suitable distance downward fromthe bottom edges of the sides directly in the rear of the blade B, sothat the scoop can be readily regulated on the ground by the operatormanipulating the handle F accordingly to bring the cutting edge of thecutter B the desired distance below or above the level of the groundsFurthermore, the sides of the runners I hold the perforate bottom,composed of the wires D, a suitable distance above the level of theground, so that any dirt that passes with the weeds into the scoop canreadily drop through the perforate bottom back upon the ground.

In using the device the operator takes hold of the handle F and pushesthe scoop forward, the runners I riding on the ground,.

and by. raising or lowering the end of the handle the cutter B islowered or raised according to the nature of the weeds to be cut and ofthe ground over which the implement is pushed. Thus the cutting edge 13may be forced a desired distance into the ground or kept above theground, if desired.

It is evident that as the scoop is pushed forward the weeds are cut bythe cutting edge of the blade B and the said weeds drop into the scoopand accumulate thereon, and any the drawings, so as to form a fulcrumfor.

swinging the scoop in the manner set forth and for the purposedescribed.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An agriculturalimplement, comprising sides, a back, a cutter-blade at the front, spacedWires stretched from the blade to the said back to form a perforatebottom, and means, substantially as described, for taking up the slackin the said Wires, as set forth.

2. An agricultural implement, comprising sides, a back, a cutter-bladeat the front, spaced wires stretched from the blade to the said back toform a perforate bottom, the wires being in U shape with the middleportion secured to the cutter-blade, the several strands extendingparallel from the cuttersaid strands, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. An agricultural implement, comprising a handled scoop with aperforate bottom, and runners at the sides of the scoop to permit ofregulating the scoop to raise or lower the front end thereof,substantially as shown and described.

4. An agricultural implement, comprising a scoop with a cutter-blade atthe front, a perforate bottom, and runners at the sides of the scoopintermediate of the cutter-blade and the back .of the scoop andextending downward below the level of the said blade, to permit ofregulating the scoop on the ground and to bring the perforate bottomabove :the level of the ground for the dirt to fall through theperforate bottom, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GLENN ALFRED MORRELL.

Witnesses:

O. J. MERRITT, GEO. L. KEARNEY.

